His team reported yesterday that three fractures to his collarbone had been diagnosed. A fourth was discovered after that, but the surgery last night was successful nonetheless.

"The fourth break is very small and does not change the treatment very much,” team spokesman Tim Vanderjeugd told Belga. He said that a new procedure was used which should speed his return.

"It is a new method, which allows a much faster recovery because less of the flesh needs to be cut.”

The team has now confirmed that the procecure was done using a 'special technique with a clavicle pin.'

Cancellara was looking good in the race, appearing comfortable on the climbs running up to his accident. Because of this, general manager Johan Bruyneel is convinced he would have been a big factor in the outcome.

“If Fabian didn’t have his crash I feel confident he would have been in the final with the rest of the favorites,” the Belgian said. “I think he had a good chance to win it. But that is all ‘if’. It’s a big disappointment for him and for the entire Classics team. They have worked very hard all winter to be ready for this race and next week’s Paris-Roubaix and now they are gone.”

”It’s only a broken collarbone, which is a lucky thing, so he’ll be able to heal fast and make some other objectives for his season.”

The talk of healing fast must however been taken in context. Team doctor Andreas Gösele said that in theory he could already return on the indoor trainer tomorrow, but that he may decide to take a few days longer in order to recuperate. “His spring is over anyway,” said Vanderjeugd.

Directeur sportif Dirk Demol has said that he could be back in competition in time for the Tour of Bavaria, which runs from May 23rd to 27th, or alternatively the Tour of Luxembourg, which begins May 30th and runs until June 3rd.

He would then likely ride the Tour de Suisse, his home race, as part of his buildup for the Tour de France and the Olympic Games.

Cancellara’s crash is said to have been caused by riders throwing bottles on the ground in the feedzone. Italian rider Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini Selle Italia) has branded those responsible as ‘idiots’.

It follows on from a similar incident in last month’s Dwars door Vlaanderen, when world champion Mark Cavendish was brought down by another careless jettisoning of a bidon.